The Circuit

Universal CityWalk played host to an ambitious undertaking by two prominent Los Angeles-based Jewish singles enterprises on April 14. Nearly 650 singles attended an evening sponsored by SpeedDating and Klutz Productions. The multitiered singles event, which drew coverage by reporters from local television news stations and the Los Angeles Times, sought to milk new meaning from the phrase "universal language of love," beginning with a two-hour megaversion of SpeedDating and peaking in a crescendo of multiple celebrations at three CityWalk nightclubs.

Singles in attendance enjoyed DJs spinning dance tunes at The Rumba Room and at B.B. King's Blues Club, which also featured a band called Endure, while a pair of pianists performed over at Howl at the Moon.

Also present was Rabbi Yaakov Deyo, SpeedDating's inventor, who was in town from Israel with wife, Sue, to lecture and promote his new book, "SpeedDating: The Smarter, Faster Way to Lasting Love." ($18.95 Harper-Collins).

Klutz Productions and SpeedDating are already planning to rent out CityWalk for a similar event, tentatively scheduled for fall.

Klutz Productions, created and run by Jeff Skolnick and Lili Feingold, has grown dramatically over its two years of existence, as has Aish HaTorah L.A.'s SpeedDating.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles' Legal Division recently held a record-breaking tribute dinner to honor its past president, Bruce Hochman, in memorium. Over 900 people attended the event, the most ever for this type of event, resulting in $750,000 in contributions to The Federation's United Jewish Fund campaign.

TishTones! Meet The TishTones...

Temple Beth Shir Sholom of Santa Monica held its annual fundraiser on Saturday, April 20. The shul's in-house band, The TishTones, along with the temple's choir, performed in concert as part of this gala event. The group performed klezmer, blues, rock 'n' roll, Israeli and Yiddish numbers.

Bentley's Drive

Barbara Factor Bentley will be honored at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's annual Helping Hand Mother of the Year luncheon on May 10 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. The current chair of the Cedars-Sinai Hospital board of directors, Bentley is the first woman in the medical center's 100-year history to serve in the position. Bentley, with her husband, Joseph, has been very active in the Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aging.

Formed in 1929, Helping Hand of Los Angeles supports the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center department of obstetrics and gynecology, in part through its medical center gift shop. Helping Hand has raised more than $16 million for Cedars-Sinai and contributes almost $500,000 annually.

The United Way

United Hostesses' Charities (UHC) will hold its 60th Annual Membership Luncheon on April 24 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Maryam Saghatelian, West Coast director of Cartier, will be honored at the event. UHC supports the division of cardiology and the research of Dr. P.K. Shah of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center.

The Market Soars

Grassroots, a new support group at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for inflammatory bowel disease, will take over the Pacific Palisades Farmer's Market on May 19 for a "Morning at the Market" fundraiser. Grassroots hopes to raise $125,000 from this event and direct the funds toward establishing the first North American institute to study the disease. For more information about Grassroots, call (310) 423-3664.

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